Hello!
As you can see in the title above, after July's test run for the New and Improved Top Three Reads, I may have finally sorted out a more appropriate name for this little tidbit where I share with you a few things I couldn't get enough of over the past month.
This month we've got it all! Okay, maybe not ALL because that would be an insanely long post, but we do have...
- tabletop appendicitis surgery,
- a heart-breaking animal tale (don't worry, the animals involved are completely fictional),
- a hilarious glimpse at how to turn the VelociPastor into your newest pet (he's great for kids' parties, apparently),
- the absolute best part of having COVID
- and some teens having far too much fun in Hell,
So, let's get to it....
Boy by Roald Dahl
(Audiobook)
I don't normally like autobiographies, but this was absolutely hilarious and had me laughing out loud more than once (and in more than one situation where it would have been really inappropriate to laugh)
In this short tome, Dahl recounts tales from when he was maybe 6 to 16 years old, so around the 1920s and 30s (he goes a tiny bit beyond this at the end, but more as a teaser for a later-in-life autobiography). And these tales are doozies. From medical procedures on kitchen tables (dare you not to cringe) to childhood pranks (the pipe "tobacco" one is the best) to boarding school horrors, every story had me eager for more.
I also realized I'd never read a book by Roald Dahl. So, shame on me, but I've been making up for it with gusto, having now read four of his books in quick succession.
This review is for the audiobook narrated by Dan Stevens (yes, him again!), whose voice work truly brings the stories to life.
Animal Castle by Xavier Dorison and Felex Delep
(graphic novel)
This was an amazing, and strikingly grim, tale of fighting for what's right with gorgeous illustrations that really drove home the intensity and the passion of the story.
The basic premise is sort of an extreme version of Orwell's Animal Farm. Humans abandoned a castle, animals took over, and now Silvio the bull and his doggie henchmen are keeping the other animals (cats, rabbits, goats, geese, etc) under their thumbs (or hooves and paws, I suppose).
The animals toil all day for little pay, and then are forced to pay exorbitant prices for the food and wood they collect. They also pay in other ways, but that would be a spoiler. Let's just say, Silvio is making dark DARK deals with humans and leave it that. Finally, Miss B, a meek cat mom, gains the courage to begin a non-violent protest to undermine Silvio.
The ability of the artist to really make me feel for the animals was startling. More than once I was saying, "Poor kitty!" And at one point I had to put the book down because of the grim nature of a few scenes (and I'm not normally all wishy washy like that, so these scenes really had a punch). The heart of Miss B, the gentle humor of Caesar the lusty rabbit, and the courage of the animals shines through.
I also wanted to punch Silvio in his face a few times. Seriously, this book stirs up all the feels!
I would have liked a little more resolution at the end, and the text is WAY too small in some panels (I had to break out the magnifying glass), but overall this might rank as one of my top reads of the year.
My Favourite Monster by George Penney and Tony Johnson
(podcast)
here, or wherever you listen to podcasts (be sure to use the British spelling!).
The Detectorists Movie Special
Starring MacKenzie Crook and Tobey Jones
As you may recall, last August I got to experience the wonderful delights of COVID (during a heat wave, no less). It wasn't all bad, though. I got a ton of reading done, and I discovered Acorn's television series The Detectorists.
The basic premise of the show centers around the lives of two guys (Crook and Jones) who are dedicated to the fine art of metal detecting, along with the happenings of their very tiny local detectorists club (which are some of the funniest scenes in the series).
I can't describe the humor in this. It's not exactly dark. It's certainly not slapstick, it's just very subtle and utterly delightful. And somehow, at the same time as being billed a comedy, it's absolutely heartwarming, so every episode left me with a smile on my face and wanting more.
And the movie (watched just last week) did NOT fail to disappoint. You know how sometimes TV shows try to make movies and they turn out awful? Not this one. It has all the heart and humor of the main series...and was it setting up for another season? I hope so!!!
It also doesn't hurt that this show has possibly one of THE best theme songs ever written.
Damned by Chuck Palahniuk
(audiobook)
Is hilarious-horror + coming-of-age a genre? It is now thanks to this gobble-it-up novel.
The basic premise: 13-year-old Madison has died of what she thinks is a marijuana overdose. And like pretty much everyone on the planet, she's been sent to hell (because even jaywalking gets you sent to hell). While there she makes some friends in pure Breakfast-Club style, tries to get the attention of Satan, sorts out how she really died, and learns a whole lot about herself.
Okay, first up, Madison as a character is spot-on. She's a spoiled rich kid who, while whip-crack smart, desperately seeks attention from others (including Satan). But at the same time she's a bit naive. Her snarky voice and dawning self-awareness really makes this book work.
As for other aspects of the book, I didn't think hell could be so funny, with its banks of telemarketers (one of the few jobs in hell) and pits of toenail clippings. The storyline, as Madison learns the truth of how she died and why she's really in hell reveals itself in a wonderful way.
There are some parts of the book that didn't work for me. Some scenes are gratuitously raunchy, the "Alternative Breakfast Club" idea plays along delightfully for about the first third of the book but then seems to get abandoned along the way, and some of the descriptive bits go on WAY too long.
Still, the hilarity of Madison's innocent-yet-worldly attitude and quips make up for all of that, and kept me listening and laughing. (I do highly recommend the audiobook version, as the narrator nails Madison's voice to a T.)
Your turn...
Have you read any of these books or seen the Detectorists series? What did you think? Also, what monster would you like to adopt as a pet...whether for good or evil?
Cheers!
--Tammie--
--Author of fantastical fiction full of myth, magic, and humorous whodunnits. And dragons, don’t forget the dragons.--
***
LET’S STAY IN TOUCH!
Sign up for my newsletter (there’s a free gift if you do!)
Browse my Books | Visit my Bookstore
Follow me on BookBub | Instagram | BlueSky
***
Beast or Famine is headed your way on 19 October 2023.
Although it's the fourth book in the series, Beast or Famine is a great way to jump into Circus of Unusual Creatures Mysteries.
Go on and try a sample chapter* or pre-order your copy right here on my Payhip Bookstore or at select retailers today!
*The book is still in the proofreading stages, so please forgive any typos in that sample. They will be resolved shortly : )
Comments ()